Article · Wikipedia archive · Last revised Aug 2, 2026

Emma Grede

Emma Findlay Grede is a British businesswoman, entrepreneur and fashion designer. She is recognised for her business ventures involving members of the Kardashian family and is the CEO and co-founder of the denim company Good American, a founding partner of Skims, and co-founder of Safely.

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Aug 2, 2026
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Emma Grede
Grede in 2026
Born
Emma Findlay

(1982-09-23) 23 September 1982
London, England
EducationLondon College of Fashion (did not graduate)
OccupationsCo-founder & CEO, Good American
Years active2007–present
SpouseJens Grede
Children41

Emma Findlay Grede (born 23 September 1982) is a British businesswoman, entrepreneur and fashion designer. She is recognised for her business ventures involving members of the Kardashian family and is the CEO and co-founder of the denim company Good American, a founding partner of Skims, and co-founder of Safely.

Early life

Grede was born and raised in the Plaistow neighbourhood of East London, England.23 She is the daughter of Jenny-Lee Findlay, an English mother who worked for Morgan Stanley. Her father is Trinidadian, but she was raised by her Jamaican step-father.456 She has three younger sisters, Charlotte, Rachelle, and Katie-Beth.6

Starting as a teenager, Emma began working at a number of odd jobs, including delivering newspapers, which she credits for teaching her perseverance and discipline.7 She regularly saved her earnings to purchase magazines like Elle and Vogue and has noted that the fashion industry was a form of escapism for her.891011

At the age of 16, Grede enrolled at the London College of Fashion, where she also secured internships at places like Gucci.36 However, in order to pursue her career, she withdrew from school before completing her degree, noting that "It was the right decision for me."6

Career

Entrepreneurship

After leaving college, Grede worked for Quintessentially, a concierge company, before joining Inca Productions as a fashion show and events producer.612 In 2008, at the age of 26, Grede co-founded and was CEO of Independent Talent Brand (ITB) Worldwide, a London-based talent management and entertainment marketing agency.133144 Ten years later, ITB was acquired by Rogers & Cowan for an undisclosed amount, and Grede exited the company.14 ITB's founding shareholders, Emma Grede, her husband Jens Grede and Erik Torstensson (the founders of Frame) and London agency Independent Talent Group — have exited as part of the agreement.14

Around 2015, Grede proposed an idea for a denim company to Kris Jenner, whom she met during Paris Fashion Week, explaining that she wanted to partner with Jenner's daughter, Khloé Kardashian.1215 Grede and Kardashian launched Good American in 2016, as a women's clothing company focused on size inclusivity and body positivity with Grede as CEO.23 The company sold a million dollars of denim merchandise on opening day.11 Good American expanded from strictly selling denim jeans to include dresses, activewear, tops, swimwear, sleepwear, and shoes in its line.312

Grede is a founding partner of Skims, a shapewear brand co-founded by her husband Jens Grede and Kim Kardashian in 2019. Grede is the company's chief product officer.3 Along with Kris Jenner and Chrissy Teigen, Grede also co-founded Safely, a brand of plant-based cleaning and self-care products that launched in March 2021.1617 Emma conceived of the company during the COVID-19 pandemic, as she desired products that would be safe for her own family.18 To that end, Safely's mission is "to rid American homes of harsh toxins with plant-powered products".18

In January 2025, Grede teamed up with fashion designer Kristin Juszczyk19 to launch apparel brand Off Season in collaboration with the NFL and Fanatics.20

With an estimated net worth of more than $300 million, Grede has an 8% stake in Skims, 23% stake in Good American, and 22% stake in Safely.11

Media and Publications

Grede hosts the podcast Aspire, where she interviews founders to openly discuss wins, losses, and lessons learned along the way.21 Guests have included the CEO of Saie, Laney Crowell, founder of Jone's Road, Bobbi Brown, and founder of Goop, Gwyneth Paltrow.2223

In April 2026, Grede published her first book, Start With Yourself: A New Vision for Work & Life, a business memoir.24

Philanthropy

Emma Grede regularly addresses the need for more diverse representation amongst CEOs and entrepreneurs and has used her influence to create opportunities for people of colour, specifically.25 Grede is a guest shark on the first episode of season 13 and the fourteenth episode of season 14 of the reality television series Shark Tank.26 She is the first mixed-race woman investor on the show. In 2024, she became a guest dragon on the 21st series of Dragons' Den.27

Grede also is chairwoman of the 15 Percent Pledge, an initiative for retailers to reserve 15% of their shelf space for black-owned businesses.8 Designer Aurora James spearheaded the movement after being inspired following the murder of George Floyd in 2020 and subsequent protests.28 By 2022, the non-profit helped black business owners generate $10 billion in revenue.29

Recognition

In November 2022, Emma, husband Jens Grede, and Kim Kardashian won the first Innovation Award presented by Amazon Fashion for Skims at the CFDA Awards in New York. With an estimated net worth of $320 million by 2023, Forbes magazine identified Grede as one of the Richest Self-Made Women in America.30

Personal life

In 2012, Grede married Jens Grede, the Swedish co-founder of Skims and the denim brand Frame.3132 The couple moved to Bel Air, Los Angeles, in 2017 and have four children together.3334

In her mid-twenties, Grede learned that she is "super-dyslexic".10 Despite her diagnosis, she has openly embraced her neurodiversity and credits it with contributing to her creative problem-solving and innovative business approach. In interviews, Grede has emphasised how being dyslexic pushed her to think differently and approach challenges from unique perspectives, which she believes is an asset in the entrepreneurial world.35

References

References

  1. Johansson, Victor (7 February 2022). "'Råder alla vänner att gifta sig med en svensk'". Svenska Dagbladet (in Swedish).
  2. Murray, Daisy (20 June 2021). "Emma Grede Is The Celebrity Fashion Brand Mogul With The Midas Touch". Elle. Retrieved 27 September 2021.
  3. Mamona, Sheilla (30 June 2021). "From East London to Bel Air: The co-founder of Good American and founding partner of SKIMS shares her recipes for multi-million dollar success". Glamour. Retrieved 27 September 2021.
  4. Segran, Elizabeth (20 February 2018). "Good American's CEO on Being the Only Black Woman in the Room: "I Don't Notice"". Fast Company.
  5. Browley, Jasmine (30 August 2022). "Good American's Emma Grede Made History As Shark Tank's First Black Woman Investor". Essence. Retrieved 3 December 2023.
  6. Mahanty, Shannon (17 June 2021). "Emma Grede on building a fashion empire with the Kardashians: 'Ask questions, work really hard and don't be an a***hole'". Evening Standard. Retrieved 4 October 2021.
  7. 'Shark Tank' star Emma Grede dispels myth of overnight success, 11 April 2023, retrieved 3 December 2023
  8. Lodi, Marie (5 October 2021). "The British Powerhouse Behind Good American". Bustle. Retrieved 7 October 2021.
  9. Dawkins, Jennifer Ortakales (30 October 2023). "Meet Emma and Jens Grede, the team behind Kim Kardashian's Skims and Kylie Jenner's new clothing line, Khy". Business Insider. Retrieved 3 December 2023.
  10. Peters, Maxine (24 August 2023). "How savvy businesswoman Emma Grede helped the Kardashian-Jenner family build their billion-dollar empire". You. Retrieved 3 December 2023.
  11. McEvoy, Jemima (14 June 2022). "Keeping Up With The Kardashians: Meet The Woman Who Made A Fortune Helping Build The Family's Billion Dollar Business Empire". Forbes. Retrieved 4 December 2023.
  12. Winn, Layne (12 November 2019). "Good American founder Emma Grede on how she got into business with Khloe Kardashian". ABC News. Retrieved 27 September 2021.
  13. Grede, Emma (2 March 2015). "Case study: How influencers can cut through social noise". Marketing Tech News.
  14. Day, Andy (10 May 2018). "London based influencer agency ITB Worldwide acquired by Rogers & Cowan". Capital A. Retrieved 1 July 2026.
  15. Singh-Kurtz, Sangeeta (3 November 2023). "The Couple Behind the Skims-Industrial Complex". The Cut. Retrieved 5 December 2023.
  16. Green, Penelope (24 March 2021). "Are You Cleaning Enough? Celebrities Want to Help". New York Times. Retrieved 27 September 2021.
  17. McCann, Maile (3 August 2021). "'You've got to be where the customers are': Safely's Emma Grede on entering Bed Bath & Beyond". Modern Retail. Retrieved 27 September 2021.
  18. Hagan, Eva (24 October 2023). "How Emma Grede and Kris Jenner's Brand Safely Is Cleaning up the Home Care Industry (Exclusive)". Green Matters. Retrieved 5 December 2023.
  19. Freestone, Camille (2 January 2025). "Kristin Juszczyk Partners With Emma Grede to Launch Off Season—A Sports Apparel Brand Born from Juszczyk's Viral DIY Looks". Vogue. Retrieved 9 January 2025.
  20. Malach, Hannah (7 January 2025). "Kristin Juszczyk and Skims Cofounder Emma Grede Launch Off Season Apparel Brand in Collaboration With NFL and Fanatics". WWD. Retrieved 9 January 2025.
  21. Gillian, Telling (5 May 2025). "Shark Tank's Emma Grede Announces New Podcast, Major Guests Booked: 'Honest and Unfiltered' (Exclusive)". People Magazine.
  22. "Aspire with Emma Grede". Apple Podcasts. Retrieved 16 April 2026.
  23. "Emma Grede Podcast Transcripts". EasyScribe. Retrieved 8 May 2026.
  24. Vankin, Deborah (13 April 2026). "She's rich, self-made and wants women to boldly talk about money (and make more)". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 16 April 2026.
  25. Pliska, Jessica (29 March 2021). "For Emma Grede, Purpose-Driven Business Is The Best Kind". Forbes. Retrieved 5 December 2023.
  26. Hipes, Patrick (26 August 2021). "'Shark Tank' Guest Sharks For New Season Include Kevin Hart, Skims And Nextdoor Co-Founders". Deadline. Retrieved 4 October 2021.
  27. Pike, Naomi (9 February 2024). "Meet Emma Grede, the most stylish judge on Dragons' Den". The Times. Retrieved 20 February 2024.
  28. Ogunnaike, Lola (26 October 2022). "How Aurora James Changed Fashion". Town & Country. Retrieved 5 December 2023.
  29. Davis, Dominic-Madori (5 April 2022). "Black Americans represent the fastest-rising class of business owners. Here's how the 15 Percent Pledge aims to help black entrepreneurs generate $1.4 trillion in wealth". Business Insider. Retrieved 5 December 2023.
  30. "Emma Grede". Forbes. Retrieved 3 December 2023.
  31. Butler, Sarah (22 August 2023). "Meet the Gredes: the couple behind Kim Kardashian's £3bn underwear brand Skims". The Guardian. Retrieved 4 June 2026.
  32. Dawkins, Jennifer Ortakales (30 October 2023). "Meet Emma and Jens Grede, the team behind Kim Kardashian's Skims and Kylie Jenner's new clothing line, Khy". Business Insider. Retrieved 4 June 2026.
  33. McClain, James (12 May 2020). "Fashion Designers Jens and Emma Grede Buy $24 Million Bel Air Estate". Variety. Archived from the original on 20 May 2020. Retrieved 4 June 2026.
  34. Heaf, Jonathan (11 May 2022). "Jens and Emma Grede – the brains behind Skims". Financial Times. Retrieved 4 June 2026. for their children, eight-year-old son [...] and five-year-old daughter [...], and twins [...]
  35. "Emma Grede: Entrepreneur Breaking Barriers in Fashion". MincoUK. 25 May 2025. Retrieved 25 May 2025.